Chapter 51: The Slacker's Ordeal (2)
Paeng Dogeuk swallowed dryly.
The man who walked inside was someone who would be seen as likable by anyone. A man with the aura and appearance of a scholar-warrior, as if he had stepped out of a painting.
But Paeng Dogeuk couldn't simply feel a sense of ease from his appearance alone. The background of the man standing before him was far too immense for that.
Divine Tactician Jo Hyeon.
He was the strategist of the Righteous Martial Alliance and widely considered its brain.
It was said that everything under heaven existed within his mind, and that all things in the world moved according to his will.
Standing before a man who holds such immense fame and record, Paeng Dogeuk only wanted to run away.
‘Why am I even here?’
The situation felt unreal.
“Have a seat.”
Jo Hyeon gave a gentle smile and gestured toward a seat.
Paeng Dogeuk stiffly walked over and sat down without being able to respond properly.
Divine Tactician sat in his own seat and began to speak in a calm yet powerful voice.
“What was it that you said you saw in the Green Forest?”
Paeng Dogeuk explained everything he had seen, leaving nothing out. After hearing his account, the Divine Tactician tapped the desk lightly, an intrigued expression on his face.
“Are you certain of what you said?”
Paeng Dogeuk nodded repeatedly, his face tense.
There was no way he could lie after being suddenly summoned to the Strategist’s Hall, still reeling in shock.
“It’s exactly as I saw.”
The Divine Tactician stared into Paeng Dogeuk’s eyes with clear and transparent eyes. There was no trace of deceit to be found in Paeng Dogeuk’s gaze.
“Forgive the discourtesy. It’s not that I believed you were lying. However, if what you said is true, then the likelihood that something far more serious is unfolding is high. That’s why I had to confirm it.”
“Discourtesy? Not at all, your words are more than fair.”
Jo Hyeon nodded faintly.
“If it is true, then it must be fate that brought you here.”
“What do you mean?”
“The villains from the Green Forest who chased you... They were likely the Ten Scythes of the Green Forest.”
“The Ten Scythes of the Green Forest!”
Paeng Dogeuk cried out in shock.
The Ten Scythes of the Green Forest referred to none other than the assassination squad directly under the command of the Eighteen Keeps of the Green Forest.
Countless martial artists had become wandering ghosts at their hands.
‘No wonder I was terrified.’
Paeng Dogeuk instinctively raised his hand to clutch his neck. It was a relief that his head was still attached.
“It seems I was able to survive thanks to someone's help.”
“I’ll handle the matter regarding the Swift Dragon Escort Agency myself. Thanks to this, we may be able to uncover a major conspiracy. The real issue isn’t the Swift Dragon Escort Agency, but the young man who helped you there…”
A hint of worry appeared on the Divine Tactician’s face.
If they were truly the Ten Scythes of the Green Forest, then they were elite assassins capable of sending even first-class disciples of reputable sects to the King of Hell with ease. Even though Paeng Dogeuk was a promising talent from the Paeng Clan of Hubei, he would normally have trouble handling even one of them.
‘And he took on ten of them and beat them down one-sidedly?’
If it were true that the man was around Paeng Dogeuk’s age, it would mark the emergence of a tremendous prodigy.
“What did you say his name was?”
“He said he was Wi Yeonho.”
“Wi Yeonho…”
The Divine Tactician's brow twitched.
That name had recently appeared in information from the Beggar Sect. It had seemed so absurd that it had been set aside—but if the same name came from two separate sources, it warranted belief.
‘Then it's true—the second son of the Grand House of Wi in Guangdong has returned. To wield such martial prowess after five years… Even if the father is a tiger, it’s said the son may still be a dog—but this goes beyond that.’
Even the eldest son of the Grand House of Wi in Guangdong, the Demon-Banishing Sword Wi Sanho, was considered unmatched among his peers. But if what Paeng Dogeuk and the Beggar Sect reported was true, then the second son, Wi Yeonho, had surpassed even Wi Sanho.
‘The Grand House of Wi in Guangdong may become the eye of a storm. But the question is—why has someone reappearing after five years not returned home, and instead headed to Hubei…?’
“Did he say where he was headed?”
“He said he was going to Sacred Hand Grounds.”
“I have a favor to ask of you.”
“Please give the order.”
The Divine Tactician hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
“That young man concerns me. Could you keep an eye on him?”
“Keep an eye on him?”
Seeing the discomfort flicker across Paeng Dogeuk’s eyes, the Divine Tactician realized he had made a mistake. Using the word ‘Keep an eye’ could certainly give a negative impression to someone his age.
“That was poorly said. It’s not so much surveillance—I simply need more information about him. It would be ideal to send someone else from the alliance, but right now, you're the only one who knows him.”
Paeng Dogeuk stared blankly at the Divine Tactician.
To meet Wi Yeonho again?
Just spending a few hours with him had been enough to drain him of spirit and leave his heart trembling. The idea of facing him again felt like jumping into a fire carrying firewood.
“That is…”
“This is for the alliance. No—for the entire murim. No one else can do it but you. I’m asking you sincerely.”
Paeng Dogeuk clenched his fist tightly.
“Is this a mission of chivalry?”
“It is.”
“I will do it.”
The Divine Tactician smiled faintly.
“I’ll inform the Paeng Clan of Hubei. Please depart as soon as possible.”
“Yes, strategist.”
The Divine Tactician watched Paeng Dogeuk walk firmly out of the Strategist’s Hall and smiled in satisfaction.
‘A fine young man.’
His martial potential and character were both pleasing. If he continued to grow like this, he would become a pillar of the murim.
But the Divine Tactician had no idea that he had just thrown a future pillar of the murim into a dung heap.
If he had known what kind of person Wi Yeonho truly was—if he had known what sort of state Paeng Dogeuk would end up in after being sent to Wi Yeonho—he would never have allowed it.
Later, the Divine Tactician would pound the ground in regret. But for now, he simply couldn’t have known.
“Green Forest, huh…”
The Divine Tactician's eyes gleamed.
Something was definitely happening. The recent movements from the royal family were unusual, and within the Green Forest, troubling signs were also emerging.
“Who’s behind this?”
As he contemplated the state of the world, the eyes of Divine Tactician Jo Hyeon—renowned for maneuvering with the entire world’s political landscape in his mind—gently closed.
---
Wi Yeonho looked around. A large, neatly arranged room had been given to him. Though none of the furnishings were luxurious, the clean and carefully arranged space clearly showed the amount of effort that had gone into it.
“They seem to be doing better than I thought.”
The house looked shabby on the outside, but it was actually quite spacious from inside. From the front, it seemed like a small thatched cottage, but behind the house were several more buildings, arranged in a way to accommodate patients.
Apparently, the room Wi Yeonho had been assigned was one of those patient rooms.
Wi Yeonho flopped down on the bed.
“Eh, whatever. It’s still a physician’s household. I guess I can stay.”
The renowned physician he had been introduced to was dead, but this was still the home of a medical family, and the physician’s children were still around. Surely, there would be something to learn.
Knock knock.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
“Yes?”
The door opened, and Jin Yeran entered, carrying a large meal tray.
On the tray were all kinds of fine dishes, including a whole roasted chicken.
“I thought you might be hungry, so I prepared your meal first. It’s not much, but please enjoy.”
Not much?
‘This could last me three days.’
Sweat formed on Wi Yeonho’s brow.
It was true—when had he ever received treatment this extravagant?
At home, everyone had been eager to make him miserable. With his master, he had needed to do everything possible just to avoid being beaten to death. In Kaifeng, he had managed to skin the Fox-Dog who tried to use him, but that man had shown him no kindness either.
At the Great Scholarly Institute where he had stayed last, he’d received some recognition, but Mun Eunji had been relentless in tormenting him, and he had been swept into unexpected incidents.
Nowhere else had treated Wi Yeonho with such genuine care.
And Wi Yeonho was not so senseless that he couldn’t recognize he wasn’t the kind of person who deserved this kind of hospitality.
“Um, could we eat together?”
Wi Yeonho desperately called out as Jin Yeran turned to leave. If he ate this alone, it was clear he’d end up with an upset stomach.
“I’ve already eaten, so don’t worry and enjoy your meal.”
Click.
The door shut.
Wi Yeonho wiped sweat from his face as he stared at the lavish spread in front of him.
“So they’re not quite as poor as I thought, huh?”
If they were really destitute, they wouldn’t have been able to serve a meal like this. To offer such a feast, they had to be doing well enough to afford it.
Wi Yeonho decided to take it positively. After all, he had been given food—there was no reason to fidget over it.
He tore a drumstick off the chicken and brought it to his mouth.
Just then, he heard voices from outside the door.
“Sister, where did that food come from?”
“Quiet. The guest is eating.”
“It’s a fair distance away—there’s no way he can hear.”
Wi Yeonho’s ears perked up.
He was someone who had survived dodging Baek Muhan’s stone fists that flew through the air without even disturbing the wind. If he focused, he could hear a leaf fall from a hundred paces away.
“We’re out of rice—where did you buy all that?”
“That’s not your concern.”
“But I should at least know—”
“A man shouldn't meddle in household matters. Focus on your medical studies.”
“Even if I try not to worry… S-sister, what about the necklace?”
“I just put it away for now.”
“You’ve never taken that off for even a second—it was Mother’s keepsake! Did you sell it?”
“I pawned it at the store for a loan. I’ll get it back when things improve.”
“We’re about to lose even the house—what part of this situation is going to improve? Even if he is a guest, pawning Mother’s keepsake for a single meal is too much!”
“What are you saying? He came here looking for Father! Do you mean we should treat someone like that carelessly?”
Jin Yeran’s voice carried a hint of fury, causing Jin Soa’s voice to shrink.
“That’s not what I meant…”
“It’s just a jade trinket, no matter how sentimental. If you throw away courtesy and duty over a mere object, Mother would be more disappointed. Remember what I said.”
“Yes…”
Wi Yeonho slowly lowered the chicken leg from his mouth. What had once been savory and chewy now felt dry and gritty like sand. He forced it down his throat, which refused to let it pass easily.
He shuddered.
So this feast had been bought with money raised by pawning off their mother’s keepsake. That’s what they meant.
“I… I can’t eat this.”
Even someone as thick-skinned and shameless as Wi Yeonho—who could fleece a Fox-Dog without blinking—could not bring himself to eat this. No human could eat such a meal.
‘I wonder if I can turn this meal back into money?’
At that moment, there was another knock at the door.
“Yes, come in!”